Sense of focus inspired Ironmen in title chase

Sunday

Dec 28, 2014 at 11:03 AM

"If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today?"

"If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today?"

— Ray Lewis

Sitting quietly among the scores of players, coaches, media personnel, managers and others on the Nowata High School sideline, at the recent Class 2A state championship game, was a smiling boy in a wheelchair.

Stationed near midfield, the young man struggled, at times, to look through the cracks of space between the milling bodies and see the action on the field.

But, he was there — that’s what counted.

And, perhaps Ronald Davis — more than any other single individual in the Nowata grid program — best exemplified the grittiness and determination of the Ironmen program.

Involved just 20 days earlier in a tragic highway accident — one that claimed the lives of three of his family members — Davis was supposed to still be in the hospital when the Ironmen kicked off on Dec. 12, at the Stillwater High School stadium, to face the Davis Wolves for the state title.

Even though Nowata — which recorded its greatest grid season since the 1990s — would fall to the Wolves, 20-13, Davis shared with his teammates in both the exultation of shining moments and the heart-shattering emptiness following the final buzzer.

But, the sad, tear-filled huddle that followed the end of the game was only a chapter — only a poignant, closing slice of experience — in what had turned out to be an odyssey of glory for the Ironmen, beginning with their win back on Sept. 5 against Dewey and the championship game 98 days later.

In-between the Ironmen players and coaches — not too mention their student helpers and fans — endured a lifetime of memories, and an overwhelming reminder that stretch the iron bands of the Nowata football team to their ultimate elasticity.

Less than 24 hours after Nowata celebrated a soaring 33-27 second-round playoff win against Vian — the first time Nowata had won a second-round playoff contest since 2004 — the accident took place and the horrible news began to filter through the town like a slow, unfolding tidal wave of shock and sadness.

Nowata head coach Matt Hagebusch — who had a third-round playoff game for which to prepare — spent a good chunk of his Saturday traveling to the hospital where Ronald had been taken.

Ironically, Nowata’s slogan for the game had been the Lewis quote mentioned above: "If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today?"

A few days later, Ronald’s progress far exceeded expectations. On that surreal night of Dec. 12, he was back with his teammates.

"I don’t think he realized he was an inspiration for us," said Hagebusch. "The recovery he made and how quickly he made it. You talk about how much fight he had and how he fought to recover so quickly so he could join us at state. That was huge for us."

That highway of inspiration had gone two ways, as the other Ironmen players had to deal with — and respond to — the crucible of grief.

Instead of getting distracted, they used the tragedy to sharpen their focus and post upset wins against Washington, 42-35, and Oklahoma Christian School, 20-0, the following two weeks.

"I don’t know if anybody in the playoffs had to deal with a similar situation," said Hagebusch, who in three years guided Nowata from an 0-10 record the year before he arrived to a spot in the state championship game. "It was definitely something extra on the plate. But, at the same time, having the veteran group of kids we have, they showed a lot of maturity.

"We talked about the importance of the community needing something positive to rally around. …. They welcomed the opportunity to go and help the community rally together."

Nowata football — led by as devoted, tough and plucky group of seniors as ever led a high school team — provided a rallying point from day one of the season, for a city seeking a positive nook on which to hang its collective pride.

The Dewey Doggers was the first course on Nowata’s menu of destiny.

The Ironmen burst past the Doggers by 21 points, 34-13 — which margin of victory would be the smallest registered by Nowata during the regular season.

With senior quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald engineering the Ironmen attack — as well as shining on the defensive side of the ball — the Ironmen continued to collect the W’s.

During the mid-stretch of the campaign, they outscored three foes by a combined score of 159-7.

A week seven win against Vian, 38-15 — more about that in a minute — served as a beefy main course that fueled Nowata’s final push to grandeur.

After carving up the Wyandotte Bears — the second best team in District 2A-8 — by a 49-0 score, Nowata then dispatched of a stubborn, playoff-bound Pawhuska team, 47-20, to end the regular season.

The Ironmen flexed their muscles for grueling playoff gauntlet. They opened up by routing Salina, 46-13, followed by victories against Vian, 33-27, Washington, 42-35 and Oklahoma Christian School, 20-0.

Rolling unbeaten (14-0) into the state final, the Ironmen fell to Davis — which rallied into the lead and then made a win-sealing interception — after Nowata had penetrated inside the Davis 30-yard line — in the final two minutes.

"That’s all you can ask is to have an opportunity at the end," said Hagebusch. "Davis came up with one more play than we did and that was the difference."

The post-game crying wasn’t so much about the defeat as it was "from the finality of it all," said Hagebusch. "Knowing they were not being able to go back to practice the next Monday, that there would be no next week."

But, the 14 weeks that had led up to that championship game had been something special to witness.

Steigerwald was well-fitted for job. His first name, Wyatt, translates as "Brave in war," or "Brave one," or "Little warrior."

Take your pick.

He finished with more than 3,400 yards of total offense. Take into account he missed approximately four games, due to Nowata’s blowouts in the first halves of games, and he might have eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark.

Steigerwald also tossed 36 touchdown passes — and only five interceptions.

"Without a guy like Wyatt making those decisions and being the keystone, we might have not been able to do the things we did," said Hagebusch.

Several other stalwarts emerged — which proved to be Nowata’s greatest asset.

Wyatt Sanders proved to be an unsung — highly-strung — hero. He piled up 976 yards of total offense (558 rushing, 418 receiving) and totaled six touchdowns.

Transfer student Michael Richey — whose contribution Hagebusch praised — suffered an injury sidelined him for most the last third of the season, but he still added more than 500 yards of offense.

"He’s the best move-in I’ve ever had since I’ve been coaching," Hagebusch added.

Scott Pruett averaged more than 22 yards per catch and tallied five touchdowns; sophomore runningback Tarrell Collins came on to rush for 646 yards and rumble for 10 touchdowns.

Billy Davis also emerged late in the season as a prime-time performer, rushing for 99 yards and gaining 105 yards receiving in the postseason.

And, then there were the linemen around who Nowata built its relentless attack.

The main pit warriors on the offensive side included Grayson Haas, Jacob Barnes and Lucas Owen.

Bell and Chad Kester sparkled at outside linebackers, and Petey Knight dominated in the middle as noseguard.

In breaking down the season, Hagebusch said the week seven encounter against Vian was, perhaps, the defining moment.

At that time, Nowata was still trying to both earn — and have internal confidence in — its rightful place as an elite 2A powerhouse.

"It was the first time all (regular) season we went into a game as an underdog and had to go in and fight," Hagebusch noted. "Just from the circumstances surrounding the game and what it meant for our confidence level to be able to perform like we did was huge for us."

Up until that win, the Ironmen didn’t know if they truly believed they could play for a state title, the coach explained.

"Until we won the game at Vian, they were unsure," he explained.

After that win, there was nothing to stop the Ironmen from stampeding, hustling, fighting and plugging through the next seven weeks, until they made it as one of the only two teams left standing in the state.

They gave it their all

"It’s just been a blast," said Hagebusch. "This we one of those special seasons."

Hopefully the underclassmen will now take up the challenge and build on this campaign, the coach said.

As for Davis, Hagebusch is hoping he’ll be back in uniform and playing his junior year (2016).

"If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today?"

— Ray Lewis

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